Stevens



(No Model.) 2 sheetssheet 1. L. STEVENS. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS. No. 328,149. Patented Oct@ 13, 1885.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model L. STEVENS.

APPARATUS POR MANUFACTURING GAS.

N0. 328,149. Patented Oct. 13, 1885.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

LEVI STEVENS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 328,149, dated October 13, 1885.

Application filed June 6, 1884. Serial No. 134,015, (No model.)

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEvr SrEvENs, of Washington city, in the District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Manufacturing Gas; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

This invention is an improvement upon the forms of apparatus heretofore described and claimed in my Letters Patent of the United States dated and numbered as follows: January 7, 1868, No. 73,057, April 14, 1868, No. 76,841, January 26, 1869, No. 86,187; February 23, 1869, No. 87,123; Reissue No. 3,338,

March 23, 1869, and it consists in improvements in the apparatus, substantially as hereinafter described, whereby and wherein I am enabled to pass the combined gases obtained by distilling coal in the presence of steam heated to a high temperature (1500o to 18000 Fahrenheit) through a water-gas retort to a more highly heated fixing or finishing retort, wherein they are converted into a fixed gas and enriched for illuminating purposes by means of hydrocarbons volatilized and retorted in the presence of steam at a high temperature and under pressure.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my present invention, I will describe the same with reference to the drawings, in which- Figure 1 isa longitudinal section, partly in elevation, of my improved apparatus, taken upon the irregular line .fr 00 in Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a transverse section on line y i/ of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a transverse section, partly in elevation, on line .c z of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 a horizontal section on line w w of Figs. 1 and 3.

A represents a bench,in which two primary or distilling retorts, B B, Figs. 1 and 2, are mounted longitudinally in a suitable firechamber over a lire-box, O, Fig. 2, so as to be heated directly therefrom.

D D are two water-gas retorts,mounted vertically in a draft chamber or line, E, at the rear of the bench, which communicates with the fire-chamber and through which the products of combustion are led from said chamber to the chimney F. (See Figs. 1 and 4.)

The upper end of each water-gas retort D is made to communicate freely with .the inner end of one of the distilling-retorts l, so that thecontents of the latter may be pushed forward into the former. The lower end of each water-gas retort opens into a chamber, G, Figs. 1 and 3, provided with a suitable door, (see Fig. 1,) through which the waste contents of the retort may be drawn out and removed.

H is a finishing or fixing retort, mounted longitudinally over the distilling-retorts B B in the upper part of the same heating-chamber C, (see Fig. 2,) so as to be exposed to the greatest heat from the fire. Theinner end of this finishing-retort H communicates by means of pipes or ilues I I (see Figs. 1 and 3) with the chambers G G at the lower end of the two water-gas retorts D D, and its outer end communicates by means of the delivery-main O, Fig. 1, with the gas-receiver.

A hydrocarbon or enriching retort, R, is fitted centrally within the inishingretort H, to extend longitudinally therein t'or nearly its entire length, and the inner end of this hydrocarbon-retort is closed by a valve, S. (see Fig. 1,) adapted to be opened inwardly by means of a rod, M, led therefrom to the out-er end of the retort through which it extends, so as to admit of the opening of the valve from the outside of the apparatus. The outer ends of the hydrocarboaretort R and of the distilling-retorts B B are lnade to project out from the bench A,which ineloses the firev chamber, and the distilling-retorts are closed by doors which admit of the ready introduction therein of the coal for distillation.

Lateral chambers or enlarged fines N N are formed on either side of the fire-box G, (see Figs. 1, 2, and 4,) through which the products of combustion from the furnace are carried to the [iues E, encircling the watergas retorts, and within these lateral chambers are placed steam-superheaters T, connected by pipes T T with a steam-generator, from whichV a suitable supply of dry steam, at a temperature of from 1200o to 1800o Fahrenheit, is drawn.

The admission of steam is controlled directly by valves T'l in said pipes T T.

The superheaters T T are Aof the description fully described in the Letters Patent heretofore issued to me on the 22d day of July, 1873, No. 141,179, and the steam decomposed C, and the bench heated to a temperature of 2200O Fahrenheit. Common gas-coal is charged into the retorts B B, and steam from any suitable generator is admitted into the superheaters T T in quantity and under a pressure controlled by the valves T2 The steam in passing through said superheaters becomes heated to a very high temperature, and in this condition is admitted through the pipes Q Q into the primary or distilling retorts B B, where it combines with the gases from the coal which is distilling therein. The resultant mixed gases or vapors pass from the retorts B B into the water-gas retorts D D, and out at the base of said retorts, (see Fig. 3,) through the pipes I I, into the finishing-retort H, which is maintained at a high temperature by its exposure to the heat of the rire-chamber. Steam is delivered meanwhile through the pipe Q, from the super-heaters T T, or from an independent superheater, at a temperature of from 12000 to 18000 Fahrenheit, into the retort R, carrying with it, by means of the injector V, a proportion of the hydrocarbon oil delivered through the pipe V. The .valve S is so far closed as to maintain a high pressure within the retort B, and under the inlluence of the high pressure as well as high temperature of the steam the hydrocarbon is volatilized, and in connection and combination with the decomposed steam is completely fixed, and in this condition is delivered in proper proportion into the finishing-retort H at its inner end, so as to become thoroughly combined with the gas from the retorts D D as it iiows through the retort H into the delivery-pipe O. The gas thus produced and enriched then passes out of the retort H, through the pipe O,into the gas-main. Vhen the coal charged into the retorts B B has become carbonized, the front coveringplates or doors are opened and the coke is shoved into the retorts D D, and the retorts B B are thereupon recharged with fresh coal and the proportion of steam increased sutliciently to convert any desired percentage of the carbon ofthe coke in the retorts I) D into carbonio oxide.

The coke is removed from the water-gas retorts through the door in the lower chamber G, and serves as fuel for the furnace C.

I do not herein claim the process of making gas by means of the within-described apparatus, having made said process the subject of a separate application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 178,962.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination, with a furnace, C, and with ahorizontal distilling-retort, B, discharging in to a vertical fixing-retort, D, of a finishing-retort, H, communicating with the lower end of the retort D and heated by the furnace, and through which the products ol' distillation in the retort B are led after passing through Ithe retort D, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The combination, with a furnace, C, distilling-retort B, iixing-retort D, and finishingretort H, of one or more steam-superheaters, T, arranged to be heated by the furnace C and to deliver steam to the distilling-retort B,substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. The combination,with one or more steamsuperheaters, T, and with a coal-distilling retort, B, connected therewith, a fixing-retort, D, into which the commingled steam and products of distillation are led from the retort B, and a retort, H, into which the resultant gases pass from the retort D, of a hydrocarbon-retort, R, communicating with said retort H, and into which steam is injected from the superheater under pressure in connection with a volatile hydrocarbon oil,substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

4.. The combination, with the hydrocarbonretort R, commu nicating with the iXi ng and enriching retort H, in an apparatus for the manufacture of illuminating gas from carbonaceous material, and with a steam-injector, V, and an oil-supply pipe, V', for delivering superheated steam commingled with oil into said retort, oi' a valve, S, fitted to control the delivery-port between the retorts R and H, for the purpose of maintaining a high pressure within the retort R, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEVI STEVENS.

Witnesses:

DAVID A.. BURR, GEORGE H. Bor'rs.

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